British firm Forcefield – big names in motorbike protective gear – are now turning their hand to mountain biking. Their Action shirt has Nitrex CE approved armour inserts in the elbows, shoulders and across the chest.
The spongy, perforated inserts are light and malleable, and can be removed quickly, so washing is easy. There’s no clunky spine board, which we like because it doesn’t foul on a neck-brace. The Action Shirt is compatible with Forcefield’s own range of spine protectors though.
Of course, you’ll always be hotter in body armour but this is some of the coolest we’ve worn. The perforated padded sections really help and with no spine board, your back has good airflow. The thumb loops help hold the sleeves in place when you crash.
But the Action Shirt’s real trump card is its fit. We were impressed with the lack of jersey snagging and circulation hampering Velcro straps. The extra length tucks neatly into shorts and stays in place well. The slender moulded inserts help avoid the ‘home-made robot’ look too.